From Ashes to Dust
by kittykatxox
Summary: The arrival of a mysterious transfer student is about to drastically change the lives of Kaname, Zero and Yuuki. Zero and Yuuki's relationship is already strained without her help, and Kaname suspects she may be the link to his missing memories. Can they each get past their individual troubles and find love?
1. Body and Blood

**Disclaimer: I don't own VK or its characters! Only in my dreams. Now, onto the story!**

**From Ashes to Dust  
****Chapter 1: Body and Blood**

* * *

Yuuki sighed heavily and sunk her face into her palms. She was seated at the kitchen table of the Chairman's residence, math homework splayed around her. Pencils and erasers littered her makeshift desk. A trail of crumpled pages led to the trash can in the corner of the room. Yuuki's Prefect duties had caused her to become so far behind in math that she could never dream of catching up. She had somehow convinced her teacher to extend the due date to tomorrow. Despite the looming deadline, she couldn't force herself to focus at the moment. Math was the least of her concerns.

Yuuki and Zero often spent their weekends at the Chairman's to spend some quality family time together. That family was becoming rather dysfunctional as of late.

Weeks ago Yuuki was shocked to witness Zero's transformation into a vampire. The brother she grew up with was no longer a human like her. For years Yuuki poked and prodded him with her infectious personality, trying to reach out to him and learn more about him. Lately it seemed as if their relationship had regressed to the day he first stepped foot inside the Chairman's home.

Zero was even more difficult to converse with in light of recent events, and Yuuki couldn't blame him. He was now one of the creatures he so openly despised.

Yuuki's lips curled downward into a slight frown. She doodled on her math homework as she brainstormed ways to cheer up Zero.

She heard a crashing noise behind her and her reveries came to a screeching halt. The pencil in her tiny hand slipped from her fingers and rolled away on the floor. Yuuki whipped her body around and her eyes quickly found the figure hunched over in the kitchen doorway.

Zero clutched the doorframe and stepped out of the shadows.

"Yuuki…I…" he faltered and collapsed onto his knees. She immediately rushed over to him and his desperate crimson eyes glared up at her. She knew what she had to do, and she also knew how much he abhorred himself because of it.

"Zero," she gritted between her teeth, "I've told you that I'm always here for you. But you need to help me help you!" Her arms enveloped his sweltering body in attempt to help him up, but he wouldn't budge.

"Chairman….is he –"

"He's not here," Yuuki quickly responded. Sweat trickled down his scalp to the end of his silvery strands of hair. Yuuki extended a finger to brush the hair out of his eyes and pressed a palm to his forehead. She was alarmed at how hot he felt. He was burning up.

"Now let me help you," she insisted.

Yuuki wasn't quite sure how she managed it, but one heave later and Zero was standing on his feet. She helped him down the long hallway that led to the bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door just in case.

Zero slid down the wall and rested his palms against the cool tile floor. This did nothing to alleviate his pain. His breathing was labored, and he was about to open his mouth to speak when Yuuki beat him to it.

"Don't even think about arguing with me this time," Yuuki warned. "I know you hate everything about this, but I'm going to do whatever I can to ease your pain, if only for a little while. I refuse to accept your fate. We're going to beat this together."

Before Yuuki knew it Zero had pinned her against the wall. His claws dug into her wrists, holding them in place. The length of his lean body closed the gap between them.

"You're stupid, Yuuki," he breathed as he yanked off the coat of her school uniform. "Caring so much about someone like me when I slowly deteriorate into a Level E by the day. I've already caused you enough pain, but do you truly understand what I can do to you? I crave blood so much that I could suck you dry without a second thought." He hissed and revealed his fangs.

"I'm not scared of you," Yuuki retorted and looked at her reflection in his eyes. Who was she trying to convince? Zero, or herself?

Zero undid the top two buttons of her stark white shirt and pushed her collar back to reveal the supple part of her neck that his fangs immediately grazed. Yuuki shuddered in spite of herself and grasped his arms. She wanted to give him her blood, needed to give him her blood. Hell would freeze over before Yuuki allowed Zero to be in any more pain than he already was. But there was always something so….intimate about these moments, especially since they hid them from the Chairman. No, she visibly shook her head, Zero was like a brother.

Yuuki let out a muffled cry as Zero's fangs sank deep into her flesh. Her vision blurred and her thoughts danced madly. This was the only solution for now, and Yuuki was committed to it. No, it wasn't ideal for either of them, but what other choice did she have? His body wasn't tolerating blood tablets, and she wasn't going to leave him there throbbing in pain.

Zero's hands gripped Yuuki's shoulders tightly as he drank in the delicious liquid his body craved. She whimpered softly and tears welled in her eyes from the pain.

Little did she know that Zero had access to her innermost thoughts and memories when he sucked her precious blood. He felt her concern for his wellbeing, the pain his fangs caused her, and her fear of what the future had in store for their family. Memories they shared together flitted before his eyes. There he was, wide-eyed and drenched in blood as Chairman Cross helped him into their home. A miniature Yuuki dabbed the blood from his neck and coaxed him that everything would be okay now. Next, he saw Yuuki smiling widely at him as the two of them killed time on prefect duty. Moments later he saw himself lurching from the shadows and latching onto her neck just after he had become a vampire. He was disgusted with himself. She had been so kind to him over the years, and this was how he repaid her.

Zero reeled suddenly as images of Kaname flooded her vision, putting as much space between them as possible. He spat out the remaining blood in his mouth on the floor and scowled at her. "I'm not the one you want drinking your blood," he said cruelly and strode out the door.

Zero hadn't even looked at her. She fell to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest. Her bottom lip quivered and tears got caught in her eyelashes before falling down her cheeks. He left her there without cleaning her up or tending to her wounds like he usually did. She surveyed the damage. The front of her shirt was soaked in blood due to his harsh departure from her skin. She sat there unmoving even though the blood continued to drip further down her shirt. Yuuki sobbed and resigned to stay in the bathroom for a good long cry.

* * *

He didn't know why he did it. He wanted to push her away and stop causing her physical pain, but he knew it would just hurt her more emotionally. Yuuki adored Kaname since she first met him. He should be used to that by now. But every time Zero saw Kaname's gentle gaze linger on Yuuki, he filled with rage and wanted nothing more than to destroy the Pureblood. What the vampire wanted with a human girl he had yet to understand. The possibility that Kaname wanted to turn Yuuki made his blood boil.

Zero clenched his fists as he walked to the one place that could calm him down besides the stables. Yuuki knew about the stables and could always find him there. This place was his and his alone. He trudged through the narrow path behind the stables. It could hardly be called a path; the grass had been flattened over time by his footsteps.

The cool wind whispered his silver locks back and forth over his forehead. The full moon shone like a beacon in the blackness of night, leading his way. He walked for a few more minutes and felt his breathing return to normal as he neared his location. Zero was about to emerge from the clearing when he suddenly froze.

He heard her before he saw her. That poignant melody would haunt him for the rest of his days. The dark sound of a violin murmured through the night air. The notes pushed and pulled, creating tension. They reached the tune's climax at an agonizingly slow pace and then raced back down again.

The figure's legs dangled dangerously off the cliff that jutted out over the serene lake. Zero could make out long hair flowing to her hips. The instrument was nestled between her collarbone and neck. Skillful fingers leapt between the strings, sounding the emotive melody.

Zero had not heard anything so beautiful his entire life. He was too hypnotized to be annoyed that his clandestine spot had been infiltrated. As he listened he felt a whirlwind of emotions – despair, regret, shame, emptiness. It was as if the player understood how he was feeling at this exact moment in time. He unclenched his fists and lowered to the ground, taking in the resonance completely.

* * *

Almost a week later, Zero and Yuuki headed back to the Chairman's after an uneventful night of Prefect duties. The two had barely spoken all night.

"I guess all is right in the world," Yuuki mused. "I can't remember the last night that was this quiet." They had encountered no bloodthirsty night students and no rebellious day students stalking the night class. In fact, they had come across absolutely nothing out of the ordinary during their watch.

"Don't jinx it," Zero said after a moment. "That just means they're plotting something for tomorrow."

Yuuki stuck her tongue out at him. "Not all vampires are bad, Zero," she said. "I really don't believe the night class is out to get us." Yuuki truly supported the Chairman's dream of peace between vampires and humans but had never been able to convince Zero to join their team. "I can even see myself befriending some of them!"

Zero snorted.

"Well, sure, Aido can be a little arrogant and Ruka definitely isn't the most pleasant of the bunch, but they have some potential! It's not like we're without our faults either," she rambled on. "You know me, sometimes I just don't know when to shut up." She flashed him a toothy grin.

Zero, however, was not amused. He gently placed his much larger hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. "Like me, they are still vampires, Yuuki," he said seriously. "Regardless of how kind they may be. One drop of blood is all it takes. Not even vampire nobles are immune to these things." He moved her hair behind her shoulder and solemnly traced the faint outline where his fangs had pierced her neck.

Yuuki pulled back, startled by his touch. "I – I can take care of myself!" she exclaimed, more flustered than she would have hoped. She patted her thigh for good measure, the place where her Artemis Rod remained hidden.

He looked at her. "If you say so." Zero resigned to silence for the remainder of the walk.

"Hey, Zero?" Yuuki asked shyly.

Silence.

"Hey ZERO!" she shouted in his direction.

"Yes, Yuuki?"

She paused. "Are you….okay? It's been almost a week since –"

"Yes, Yuuki. I'm fine. Thank you." Zero was not ready to tell Yuuki that he no longer wanted her blood. He honestly had no idea how she would react, and he also had no idea how else he would get blood for that matter. Zero had no desire to enter Yuuki's thoughts again anytime soon. Her thoughts that were swimming with her newfound fear of him and her lust for Kaname.

Yuuki opened the door to the Chairman's home and started towards his study with Zero in tow.

"You're impossible, you know that?" Yuuki fumed without looking at him.

Zero figured it was best to remain silent as he followed her down the hallway. He decided he really didn't understand girls. Especially Yuuki.

"This is the most you've spoken to me all week! And even then, you ignore me half the time or lecture me! It's absolutely infuriating!" She grasped the doorknob to the study. "You know, all you had to do was say sorry and – Chairman! Kaname-senpai!" Yuuki blinked. She had developed the terrible habit of barging into the Chairman's study without knocking. She really had to stop doing that.

"Yuuki-chan! Zero-chan! My beautiful children!" the Chairman beamed. "Please, come in! I have been waiting for your return. Kaname and I were discussing preparations for tomorrow night's ball."

"Sorry dad, er, Chairman," Yuuki fumbled. He squealed in delight upon being called dad and the mistake had already been forgotten. Yuuki noticed Kaname's lips curl upward slightly. He seemed amused by the whole exchange. Yuuki cursed herself as she felt a slight blush creep up to her cheeks.

Kaname was seated on the other side of Kaien's desk. His legs were crossed and his hands clutched the sides of the armchair, allowing him to sink back into its depth. Yuuki was not used to seeing him so at ease. He had traded his night school uniform for a fitted pair of khakis and a casual black button up. His shirtsleeves were rolled up messily and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. Yuuki made a mental note to control her eyes in order to avoid further embarrassment.

Kaname rose from the chair and seemed to float over to Yuuki. He bowed down to kiss her hand, which only caused her blush to deepen. "Yuuki," he murmured as his elegant fingers gently caressed her hand. This went unnoticed by the Chairman and Zero. They were already deep in conversation at the other end of the room.

Kaname knelt down after kissing her hand and now held it in his own. "I hope Zero is treating you well," he said softly.

She almost jerked her hand away, but he held it tighter. Yuuki looked down into his endless chocolate eyes. She realized she literally had gotten lost in them and had stared into their depths for a few seconds longer than socially acceptable. "Um…yes," she answered lamely. "It was just a misunderstanding."

"I certainly hope so, Yuuki," he said as he eyed her neck suspiciously. Yuuki tensed at his realization. "Will I be seeing you at the ball tomorrow night?"

"Of course. A Prefect's watch never ends," she said dutifully.

He was towering over her now and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I was hoping to see you in a more….relaxed setting," Kaname almost smirked. "I'm sure your father won't mind if you enjoy yourself a little."

Yuuki knew her body had betrayed her because she could tell her cheeks were still flushed.

Kaname said suddenly, "I never tire of seeing it. Every time you blush I want to –"

"Yuuki-chan!" the Chairman clapped his hands. "Now that you and Kaname have had a chance to catch up, I need your help with something!"

What Yuuki's father had saved her from she was not sure. But she was certain it was something. Kaname straightened himself and shared a look with Yuuki. He smiled at her softly. She tried to discern the meaning of his last words, but his secretive eyes gave away nothing.

Zero excused himself from the room but not before glaring at Kaname, whom he had never addressed in the first place. Yuuki absolutely loved them both but hated nothing more than being in the same room as the two of them.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, dear," the Chairman said as he clasped her hands, "but we have a new transfer student starting tomorrow! Actually, she's waiting in our kitchen right now. I was hoping you could show her to her room, which also happens to be your room. She'll be your and Yori's new roommate."

"Um…what?" Yuuki gaped. "She's here, at this hour?"

"Well, yes," he frowned and waved it off. "Her train arrived much later than expected, but no matter. She seemed rather averse to studying here, and I'm worried she may have a difficult time adjusting. If anyone can get through to her, I know it's you, Yuuki! Please try your best."

If anyone can get through to her, it's you? Yuuki started to wonder exactly what arrangement her father had gotten her into. "Yes Chairman, I will do what I can to make sure she is comfortable here."

"Back to Chairman?" he cried as tears rolled down his face.

"Goodnight Chairman, goodnight Kaname-senpai," Yuuki bowed. She stole a glance at Kaname on her way out, who had yet to take his eyes off her.

"Well, this should be interesting," the Chairman stated once he had his emotions back under control. "Her guardian is the powerful –"

"Yes, I am well aware," Kaname interrupted. "And I think it best to keep that quiet for now. I will not be sharing that information with the night students until I can figure out her intentions." He frowned. Something about her scent seemed so familiar to him, and he was going to stop at nothing to unravel the mystery.

* * *

She tapped her fingers on the kitchen table out of boredom. She had actually arrived much earlier in the day but had lost track of time exploring the school and its surrounding territories. The truth was she wanted absolutely nothing to do with Cross Academy. Her feet carried her to the Chairman's only after imagining the punishments her guardian would inflict on her if she didn't go. Her guardian was very keen for her to attend Cross Academy and wouldn't take no for an answer.

Yuuki bounded into the kitchen and rested her gaze on the slender frame arched over the kitchen table. Her long auburn hair cascaded down her back in waves. A narrow, sculpted face looked downward to the floor. Her eyelids twitched, floating between states of consciousness. She looked utterly exhausted. Two deep plum orbs snapped into awareness to meet Yuuki's.

Yuuki was stunned by her dark beauty. The girl in front of her looked like she belonged in the night class, not day school. Yuuki remembered her words. "Nice to meet you! I'm Cross Yuuki. You must be –"

"Suzuki Ayako,"she said as she picked up her bags and headed out the door.

"Hey, wait up!" Yuuki gasped as she ran to catch up with her new roommate. "Where are you going?"

"The Chairman insisted it was too dangerous for me to walk alone at night. Now that you're here to protect me, let's go," Ayako said without looking back. Yuuki detected a note of sarcasm in her voice while she struggled to keep up with Ayako's long strides. Ayako was nearly a head taller than Yuuki.

"I'm not your personal servant!" Yuuki seethed. "And it is dangerous. Day students aren't allowed outside at night."

"My father warned me about you," Yuuki continued after she received no response. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the cobblestone path. "It's pretty clear to me that you have no interest in being here. But you're stuck with me, at least as a roommate! And I'll have you know that I'm not so easy to get rid of."

Ayako's eyes twinkled in amusement. "Well, thank you for guiding me here, Cross Yuuki," she said as they reached the girl's wing of the Sun Dormitory. Yuuki led her up the stairs to their room and mentally braced herself for the introduction she was about to make between her two roommates.

* * *

After finishing his conversation with the Chairman, Kaname retreated to the Moon Dormitory. His Pureblood powers could have whisked him there in an instant, but instead he chose to walk in an attempt to calm himself down. He trembled. He needed blood tablets, and he needed them soon.

He silently damned himself and his yearning for Yuuki. Why did she hold this power over him? In no world was it appropriate. He was a Pureblood of the highest stature, and she was…just a human. He hated himself even more for not caring about that. How could it possibly work out? His fellow vampires would never approve of their relationship. He already noticed their condemning glances when he spent time talking to Yuuki during the class change.

Besides, the Vampire Council would never allow such a cursed relationship, and their decision was absolute. Kaname might be a powerful and royal pureblood, but the Council's verdicts overruled his own. His family had once governed the vampire populace, but he himself had little political power since the monarchy was abolished centuries ago. His parents' last decree was to outlaw the creation of any new human vampires. He couldn't attempt to overturn that law for his own personal gain.

Kaname's thoughts drifted from Yuuki's blushing face to Ayako's emotionless eyes. He was startled by her earlier appearance at the Chairman's home. Her amethyst eyes bore into his soul as if she knew all of his secrets. But how could that be? She was a human, after all. How could she know anything about him? What troubled Kaname the most was her sweet scent. He couldn't place the subtle aroma of honeyed cherry blossoms, yet it seemed so familiar to him. Could it be related to his missing memories?

Kaname finally reached the Moon Dormitory and headed upstairs to his private quarters, ignoring the welcoming cries of his peers. He could hear Aido muttering about his piousness and how he wouldn't even spare the time to greet them. Kaname would deal with Aido later. He certainly did not want the night class to witness his current condition. Years of self-discipline enabled him to easily conceal his tremors, but one wrong move and he thought his entire being would explode into dust.

Kaname reached the doorway to his room and stopped dead in his tracks. He could sense another presence mere feet away from him. He had no need to strain his vision; his Pureblood powers allowed him to see wholly in the blackest night.

Two taut, creamy shoulders peeked out above his chaise longue. Loosely curled, sandy brown hair tumbled over the back of the chaise and nearly reached the floor.

"Souen," Kaname said between gritted teeth, "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not interested in your seductions?" Addressing her formally did not help quench his needs or desires.

Ruka tiptoed across the room and stopped when she was a foot away from him. She was scantily clad in a black nightgown made of the finest silk. The nightgown barely extended past her thighs. Its deep V was trimmed with delicate lace and revealed the tops of her luscious breasts.

Ruka abruptly used her powers to slam the door shut. Her hungry eyes drank him in desperately. His soft features seemed torn between right and wrong, self-loathing and desire. He ran a hand through his disheveled locks and avoided her gaze.

Her love for him had only grown since childhood. She had always been a loyal companion; Kaname never thought of her as anything more than that. She had attempted advances on him in the past, but never anything this drastic. Especially not at a time when he was so weak to his own desires.

"Kaname," she purred, tracing the outline of his jaw with a slender finger. "We're much more familiar than you suggest. Wouldn't you agree?"

"How dare you not address me as your superior, Ruka?" Kaname questioned, sounding much less authoritative than he intended. He clenched his fists as his body began to quake from bloodlust. A tiny crack appeared in the window at the opposite end of the room and continued downward until it shattered into hundreds of tiny shards. Lavish vases shook in his power; aged books toppled to the floor from their shelf.

The smell of blood inundated his senses as Ruka paced back to the other side of the room, her bare feet crunching over the glass shards. Ruka noticed this and immediately gained confidence. She smiled tenderly. "_Lord _Kaname. You need something that blood tablets can't give you," she reasoned, "and I want to be the one you take it from. I don't care if I'm not the one you want."

Kaname's body and mind were screaming at each other. What was she even saying? She knew he didn't want her. Was she doing this out of loyalty for him, or did she have another motive? And what about Yuuki? Kaname didn't care anymore. His body won and he violently shoved the chessboard off of his desk, pinning Ruka on top. Chess pieces flew throughout the room.

Seconds later Kaname sank his gleaming fangs into Ruka's pale neck without hesitation. She arched her back and let out a soft moan, which only encouraged him.

He sank deeper and deeper into her flesh without regard to her pain. She hissed and writhed wildly beneath him. He used one hand to grab her wrists and pin them above her head. The other crept beneath her nightgown. He felt her firm thighs, the soft curves of her hips, and her tight stomach. His hand trailed further upward. His fingertips teased a breast before thumbing a hardened nipple.

Kaname couldn't help but imagine Yuuki's flushed face and the unspeakable things he would do to her if she too were a vampire. He suddenly yanked his fangs out of Ruka's neck, dripping blood all over her decollete. He was on his knees above her and looked at her sincerely. His crimson eyes were slowly fading into their usual deep brown. He debated tearing her nightgown in half with his bare hands.

"Is this what you wanted, Ruka? Is this the side of me you wanted to see?" he demanded. "I may be your Lord, but that makes me no less of the monster that I am."

He thought he smelled a tinge of fear. "Growing up, you locked yourself away and dealt with your pain and bloodlust by yourself. You don't deserve to be alone," she said as she brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. "I want to see every side of you. I've watched silently all these years. It's about time I did something about it."

"If by silence you mean trying to jump me every chance you get," Kaname said with a raised eyebrow. He was surprised to see her cheeks redden slightly. He didn't know if he acted on the longing in her eyes or his own carnal need, but the two of them were somehow transported to his bed. He frantically pulled her nightgown above her head, revealing her naked form.

Ruka had spent plenty of time imagining this moment, and this was not how it played out in her head. She regained a little composure and tumbled on top of him, switching their previous positions. She retaliated by disintegrating his shirt to dust before their eyes. Her hands roamed his perfect chest and traced his firm abs.

He couldn't help but let out a low chuckle. "Ruka," he murmured. A sudden wave of passion hit him and he forced his lips against hers. He was instantly granted access to her mouth and their tongues danced wildly. Ruka unclasped his belt buckle and slid his khakis below his knees. They both gasped for air when she broke the kiss to pull his pants off completely. All that remained between them were Kaname's silky red boxers.

"If you dare destroy these, I may have to punish you," he said as he ogled the body suspended above him. "I will give you only one chance to leave, Ruka," he said gruffly. "If you don't, I can't promise what I will or won't do."

Ruka didn't care. She took his jest as a challenge and a moment later, his boxers were gone. She didn't even have time to admire his elongated member before he was on top of her again. In an instant he was inside her, thrusting. She was already wet for him, so he moved in and out of her easily. He let out a deep groan.

Ruka's fingernails clawed his back, marking his perfect skin. He pierced her neck again, this time gently. She was reeling from the blood loss and her vision began to cloud. Kaname continued thrusting into her at an excruciatingly slow pace as he released her neck and trailed butterfly kisses down her neck and chest. He examined the trail of bloody kisses and latched onto a nipple, his tongue circling around it.

Ruka's moans became louder and more frequent. Her eyes begged him for more. Kaname's powerful hands forced her hips into the bed, allowing him to control the thrusting. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. He released her and she returned his thrusts, which quickened fervently and created friction. Her hands grasped for his hair, pulling his face towards hers and inviting him to another passionate kiss. His lips pulled away from hers and uttered a name that may or may not have been hers as he spilled his seed into her. Ruka came immediately after; his pulsing shaft and the sensation of his semen gushing into her were too much for her to bear. She clung onto him tightly and whimpered his name in pure ecstasy.

Kaname stayed inside Ruka for a few moments; he could tell she didn't want the feeling to end, and he didn't either. He finally rolled off of her and they both stared at the ceiling, panting haphazardly. Ruka let out a long sigh as their mingled juices trickled down her thighs.

Kaname's mind was still screaming at him even after the fact and he continued to ignore it. He knew the guilt would hit him tomorrow, but he dare not think about it now. He pulled Ruka toward him and gathered her in his arms. For this moment, Kaname felt content and closed his eyes to the world.

* * *

**A/N: If you made it all the way to the end of the chapter… Wow! Congratulations and many thanks! This is my first fic and I'm a little nervous about it. So sorry if you think something's lacking. I would not say no to some suggestions or a little constructive criticism ;)**

**Stay tuned for some dramallama and possible lemony goodness at the ball! Until next time.**


	2. A Thorn in the Flesh

**From Ashes to Dust  
****Chapter 2: A Thorn in the Flesh**

* * *

"Kaname-sama?" A voice called and a knock sounded on the door. "Kaname-sama!" The knob turned. "The urgent books you requested from the Council library arrived and –" The next noise that erupted from Takuma's mouth could only be described as the shriek of a petrified preteen girl.

Kaname's eyes flitted open and his head hit the bed's headboard in shock. He cradled his head in his hands and heard another piercing scream from his right. He gathered his bearings and turned his attention to the right side of his bed. If possible, Kaname looked even more bewildered than Takuma, who was still standing open-mouthed in his doorway. The books in Takuma's hands fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Willowy legs protruded from the bottom of the bed sheets that Ruka clutched to cover her torso. Her hair was disheveled from the previous night's activities. Strands fell in front of her face, partially obscuring her vision. Takuma stared in disbelief at the bite marks on her neck and the patches of dried blood on her chest. His gaze then took in the shattered window and personal belongings scattered all over the room.

Mental images of last night's romp dashed through Kaname's mind. Oh, god, he had done those things. With Ruka. How could he forget? He supposed not sharing a bed with someone for a few decades could do that to a vampire. He wasn't accustomed to having a warm presence tangled in the sheets next to him.

"Moron!" Ruka yelled. "What are you doing? Get out before I turn you into dust!"

"Takuma," Kaname said coolly. Takuma's body rose in the air as if invisible hands hauled him upward by his neck. "If you ever barge into my room again without permission, I will personally drag you by your precious golden locks to the lake and drown you with my own hands." His body swayed in the air. "And if you breathe a word of this to anyone –"

"I – I get it!" Takuma wailed. "You'll rupture my innards with your powers! Or worse, you'll let the day students have their way with me! I'm so sorry Kaname! It'll never happen again! Besides, I don't think my eyesight can bear it!"

"Good. I'm glad you understand," Kaname said. "Now go." And with that Takuma's body flew backward out of the room, a dozen books trailing him. A loud crash resonated at the end of the hall followed by several quieter ones. The door slammed shut.

Ruka's mouth opened slightly in amusement. "Maybe you were a little harsh on him," she suggested.

"Who knows what he would do if I didn't keep his toes in line. I take my job very seriously," Kaname winked.

Ruka smiled. The pair fell into an awkward silence.

"Thank you for last night," she started timidly. She stood up, using the bed sheet to cover herself. "It meant more to me than you could ever know. But I understand that you don't have feelings for me, so I won't push you anymore. I'll be waiting in case you change your mind. You've already gotten my hopes up considering I seem to have awakened a monster."

Ruka would be a much more suitable companion than Yuuki, Kaname ruminated. But that would be taking the easy way out. It's not that he didn't like Ruka. He enjoyed her company very much. And it wasn't like she was lacking in the looks department, he noted, his eyes tracing the outline of her pallid neck and lingering on the sheet that concealed her. Kaname just didn't want to string her along. Too late for that, he thought. He realized he had disrupted the natural order of the Moon Dormitory; it was only a matter of time before the others found out. He was torn between ordering Ruka to leave and jumping her again right then and there.

Kaname's eyes gleamed wickedly. "This monster isn't finished with you yet. I promised to punish you last night, and I haven't forgotten. In fact, I believe it is my duty to do so."

Ruka shrieked as the bed sheet was whisked into the air. She tried to cover herself with her arms, but Kaname had already grabbed her wrists and forced them to her sides. Goosebumps blemished her smooth skin. She seemed so vulnerable in this moment, but Kaname could smell the sweet scent of her arousal. His eager eyes devoured the sight of her pink, protruding nipples.

"I rather liked those boxers. What punishment do you suppose fits your crime?" he asked, licking his lips.

* * *

Takuma groaned. He had been out cold. For how long, he had no idea.

"Takuma? Are you okay? Earth to Takuma. I thought I heard a little girl in the dormitory. Just what kind of trouble did you get yourself into?" A hand extended toward him and helped him onto his feet. Takuma's eyes came into focus on the orange-haired vampire in front of him. His gaze met Akatsuki's burnt orange eyes.

"I value my life far too much to tell you," Takuma said, frowning at the signed edges of his night school uniform. "And I don't want to get wet!"

"Umm…okay then," Akatsuki replied as he knelt down to gather the books strewn about the hall.

"Did you order more manga again? You really have a problem," Akatsuki laughed, examining one of the books. Takuma promptly snatched it from his hand.

"Mind your own business, Kain," Takuma huffed. He collected the rest of the books and left for his room.

"I'll bet my blood tablets you're hiding dirty manga under your bed!" Akatsuki called after him.

Of course Akatsuki noticed that Takuma had not ordered a new manga collection. The book he briefly inspected contained a history of the sovereigns that previously ruled over the vampire race. What would Takuma want with those books? They definitely were not light reading material.

Akatsuki didn't have too much time to ponder what Takuma was hiding. His eyes widened when he saw Ruka emerge from Kaname's room. She was wearing a lacy black nightgown and a mens dress shirt draped over her shoulders. Ruka noticed him and stood there for an instant, paralyzed. After regaining her composure a moment later, she continued walking his way.

"Good evening Ruka," Akatsuki greeted.

"Evening," Ruka responded, barely acknowledging him. She bowed her head and strode past him.

Akatsuki knew Ruka loved Kaname more than life itself, and she wanted nothing more than to be with him. But he was annoyed for some reason. And worse, he was annoyed at himself for being annoyed. What the hell was wrong with him? He clenched his teeth and watched her rush down the hallway.

* * *

Later that evening Yuuki entered her dorm room to find Yori braiding Ayako's hair into a fishtail design. She rubbed her eyes to make sure her imagination wasn't playing tricks on her.

"Yuuki-chan!" Yori gushed. "What do you think? Isn't Aya's hair just gorgeous? It makes me want to grow out mine." She twisted the hair tie into place and admired her work.

Aya? That was a new nickname. Those two had gotten friendly awfully fast.

Yuuki saw Ayako's glum reflection in the mirror and quickly realized the friendship was one sided. Yori was too kind and patient. Yuuki knew she wouldn't give up on their new roommate.

"It's lovely," Yuuki anwered. "Well, I'm glad you decided to come, Ayako. I didn't think you would."

"Trust me. I didn't have a choice," Aya countered. "Your dear father threatened me with weeks of detention."

Yuuki almost laughed. That didn't sound like something her father would be serious about, but she didn't want to say so. She supposed he wanted Ayako to get to know the day class.

"I think you'll find that the rest of the students aren't so bad," Yuuki remarked. "But you might want to avoid our class president, Kageyama Kaseumi, unless you want to be lectured about your contribution to our class average."

"He never lectures me!" Yori teased.

Aya looked at the ground, not caring to participate in the conversation.

"Now, I have the perfect dress for you to borrow!" Yori exclaimed and disappeared into her closet. She emerged holding a strapless, floor-length silver gown. Aya's eyes brightened. She stood up and touched the dress, admiring the fabric. Chiffon was draped over a layer of miniscule silver sequins.

"It's stunning," Aya breathed and smiled in spite of herself.

Yori's faced displayed a triumphant grin. "Every boy is going to want to meet you tonight!" she winked and handed Aya the gown.

"Thank you, Yori," Aya said gratefully. "I don't deserve your kindness."

"You certainly don't! But if you stop being so indifferent you might start to earn it," Yuuki huffed.

Yori glared. "You'll come to learn that Yuuki always means well, even though she can be a little rude," she told Aya.

"Sorry Aya," Yuuki managed. "I hope we can become good friends. Anyway…there's something I need to do. I'll see you ladies at the ball!" Yuuki sped out of the room before Yori could interrogate her.

* * *

"I knew I'd find you here," Yuuki said, eyeing the long limbs sprawled over a pile of hay. White Lily neighed from the other end of the stables. Zero's arms extended back, supporting his head. "Aren't you coming to the ball?" she asked him.

"If I don't, I'll have to spend the entire weekend in the kitchen as the Chairman's guinea pig," Zero shuddered, remembering last week's ginger pork stir fry. It was normally Yuuki's favorite dish, but even she had barely eaten more than a few bites.

Yuuki chortled. The Chairman certainly knew how to get his job done these days.

"I think I prefer human Zero. But guinea pig Zero could be kinda cute. I'd keep him in my room and feed him carrots," she grinned.

Zero didn't laugh. His eyes darkened at her mistake.

Yuuki suddenly threw herself on top of him, her arms enveloping his body. "I'm sorry, Zero," she whispered. "It just slipped out." He wasn't a human anymore. She didn't need to remind him of that.

"It's okay, Yuuki," he let out a long sigh. She rested her head on him for a moment, feeling his chest rise and fall. He patted her head awkwardly.

"Hey Zero?" she asked him.

"What?"

"You really should learn to give better hugs. You never know, a girl might want to hug you one day," she trailed off. "I mean, I'm a girl, but…you know what I mean…"

A thin smile appeared on his lips. "Is that why you came here, Yuuki? To teach me how to give the perfect hug?"

"Well….not exactly," she confessed. "I think you should drink my blood before the ball. Just in case –"

He shoved Yuuki off of him. She crashed into the wooden door to the stables, landing on her behind.

"Hey! Ow!" she wheezed. "That's not how you should treat someone who's just trying to look out for you!"

"I should be the one protecting you, Yuuki. I don't want you to waste your time worrying about me." He was towering over her now.

Yuuki bit her bottom lip. "So…you don't want my blood, then?" She shielded herself with her arms, ready for his next move. Zero grabbed Yuuki's arms and hoisted her to her feet.

"No. Shouldn't you be getting ready for the ball anyway?" He glanced at his watch. "It starts in twenty five minutes, you know."

"Kyaaaa!" Yuuki squealed. "At this rate I'll barely have time to put on my dress! And I have to do my hair and makeup, and accessorize, and…." she sprinted out of the stables, still rambling to herself.

* * *

Yuuki happened upon the Chairman at the entrance to the ball. He was wearing the biggest grin she had ever seen, his pearly teeth shining in the night.

"My pride and joy!" he blubbered, happy tears creating a pool at his feet. "You've grown into such a fine young woman, Yuuki! You look absolutely stunning."

She was wearing a vermillion-colored ball gown. The crepe material gathered just above her knees and flowed behind her legs in an elegant train. Her hair was pulled into a high bun, a few tendrils coiling down.

"Why thank you Chairman," she said, pulling the ends of her dress up into an endearing curtsy.

His happy tears turned into sad ones. "Chairman again?" he sobbed. "You couldn't have addressed me as your father in this precious moment, the pinnacle of my fatherhood?!"

"I'll see what I can do about that if you promise not to embarrass me tonight," Yuuki proposed.

The Chairman took her request to heart, bowing as she entered the ballroom.

Yuuki forgot to breathe. "Wow," she mouthed. The decorating committee really outdid themselves this time. The dim room was lit by hanging lights that were strung between gigantic marble pillars. Vines adorned with red roses decorated the walls. She followed the red carpet that stretched down the wide marble staircase and into the main room. Yuuki drooled over dessert tables piled high with sweet pink mochi and dango truffles drenched in milk chocolate.

"Yuuki-chan!" a familiar voice called her back to earth. "Don't you look lovely tonight," Takuma commented and gave her hand a chaste kiss. "How are you my dear?"

"Oh, I'm alright. Have you – wahhh!" Yuuki cried as another vampire hoisted her into the air in a big bear hug.

"My favorite human," Aido practically shouted. "How kind of you to finally join us, Yuuki! I've missed your presence. Where have you been lately?"

"Put me down Aido!" Yuuki pouted and yanked his golden tresses. He laughed gleefully at the day students that were glaring daggers at her.

"Let her go, Hanabusa," Takuma ordered. "If Kaname finds out, he'll flay those groping hands of yours."

"You're no fun," Aido frowned at Takuma as he placed Yuuki on her feet. "But I guess you're right. Our fearless leader is more like a frothing hyena when it comes to this one." He jabbed his thumb in Yuuki's direction.

She chose to ignore his comment. "So where is your master?"

"I resent that," Aido retorted, refusing to give her any information.

"He's alone on the balcony," a third male vampire replied. Kain was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Ruka scowled beside him.

"Thank you Akatsuki!" she bowed and rushed off in the other direction, but not before sticking out her tongue at Aido.

Flustered from her encounter with the night class, Yuuki smoothed out her dress and checked to make sure her bun was still in place. She noticed Zero glowering in the corner and tried to catch his attention with an energetic wave. She gasped when she noticed his gaze was trained solely on Aya. The dress Aya borrowed from Yori must have been working wonders. Yuuki had never seen Zero look at a girl like that before. It was…weird.

Yuuki crept onto the balcony and felt the cool night wind against her face.

Kaname was leaning over the balustrade on his forearms, unmoving. She took the time to appreciate his every feature. She wouldn't be surprised if she were actually staring at the statue of a Grecian god. Yuuki was dumbfounded that he would even give her the time of day.

Kaname sensed her presence and turned his head toward her. "Yuuki," he spoke softly, "you are quite the tease."

"Me?" she blurted.

"Yes, you," Kaname replied. He sauntered over to her and held her hands in his own. "You're wearing red tonight, the most seductive color. The color of heat and passion; romance and lust."

Yuuki tried to talk, but the only sound that came out of her mouth was an embarrassing squeak.

"Are you scared of me, Yuuki?" he inquired.

She shook her head. "Of course I'm not afraid of you," she said softly. "You're the only vampire I've ever trusted."

"What about Zero?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yuuki bit her bottom lip. "I'm worried about him," she answered truthfully. "It's like he can't control himself lately."

"He's not the only one," Kaname murmured. He sat against the ledge and swiftly pulled Yuuki onto his lap. She blushed deeply and stared at his palm, tracing its lines with her finger.

"I wish you wouldn't be so nervous around me, Yuuki," he said.

"I – I'm not nervous!" she insisted.

Kaname chucked. "Your face will be the color of your dress if you keep blushing like that," he teased.

"You're not helping!" she muttered and rested her head in her hands.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Yuuki" he said as he slid a hand down to caress her bare thigh.

"K – Kaname-senpai!" she exclaimed, pulling away from him rapidly. She stumbled to the floor and scraped her hand in the process. A drop of blood trickled down her right index finger.

Kaname's senses were heightened immediately. He could hear the tempting sound of her blood pumping through her veins.

Before she knew it he was kneeling above her. His knees pressed roughly against her hips. He drew her hand to his lips and kissed her wound, healing it instantly. His eyes bore into her soul and his tongue trailed down the length of her finger, lapping up the droplets of blood. She gasped. His lips parted slightly and he inserted her finger into his mouth, sucking it gently. He released it and his mouth took in her middle finger, giving it the same treatment. Yuuki moaned with want and her heart beat faster and faster.

Her moan jolted him back to reality and he stopped, removing her finger from his mouth. "I'm ashamed Yuuki," he said solemnly as he cleaned her moist fingers with the jacket of his uniform. "I didn't mean to disgrace you. I don't deserve your interest." He carefully stepped around her dress and pulled her onto her feet. "My actions are inexcusable. Please forget about this incident and try to enjoy the rest of the ball." He gave her a sad smile and squeezed her hand before leaving for the main ballroom.

Damnit. She always clammed up in front of him. What had she done to make him leave? She definitely didn't want to forget what just happened. Yuuki closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore the warm feeling emanating between her thighs.

* * *

Aya and Yori rested at a table in the corner of the room. Yori had dutifully stayed by Aya's side the entire night, knowing she would have been completely miserable if left alone. Well, she looked pretty miserable even with Yori right beside her at the moment.

"That wasn't too terrible, huh?" Yori asked, shoving a chocolate covered strawberry in her mouth.

"I guess not," Aya replied. She swizzled the straw in her drink boredly. She had danced with a handful of day students throughout the night upon Yori's insistence.

"I think you're of the rare breed that has no interest in the night students," Yori acknowledged.

Aya studied her. Yori was dressed in an emerald satin dress that stretched across her body to the middle of her calves. An elegant pearl necklace encircled her neck, resting between the sweetheart neckline of her gown. Her eyelids lowered; she seemed weary. Aya suddenly felt guilty that Yori exhausted so much effort ensuring she was comfortable, so she attempted to make light conversation. "Are you interested in the night students?" Aya asked Yori.

Yori looked away. "Not really…" she said strangely.

A tall blond clad in a white night school uniform knelt down in front of Aya, offering her his hand. "May I have this dance?" he asked. She looked up into a pair of electric blue eyes.

"Well?" he demanded impatiently.

Aya examined him. "I'm tired of dancing," she feigned a yawn.

"I'm not going to go away. I can stay here all night," the boy said, his arm twitching. "Your classmates would kill to be in your shoes right now."

Yori rolled her eyes. "He has an attitude problem, but he's pretty harmless, Aya," she offered.

"Why don't you dance with one of your fan girls over there then?" Aya suggested to him.

"I'm bored," he admitted. "And you're the only one besides Yuuki and her sassy little friend over here that hasn't looked my way all night."

Yori scowled. "Maybe you shouldn't dance with him after all," she decided.

But Aya accepted his hand and allowed him to guide her to the dance floor. She ultimately decided dancing with him for three minutes was the lesser of two evils. He placed his hand on her hips and took her right hand in his left. He whisked her across the dance floor with ease and spun her to the cadence of the music.

Step, slide, step.

"What is a lovely girl like yourself sulking in the corner for?" he wondered aloud.

"I'm not dancing with you to talk about my feelings," Aya declared, her displeasure quite evident. Her lips were drawn into a thin line.

"Pray tell why you're dancing with me then?" he asked.

"I'd rather grace you with one dance than listen to you whine by my side all night. Though this isn't really helping the matter. My ears are going to start bleeding any second. I hope you swallow your own tongue," she scoffed.

"Ouch. Nobody silences the beloved Idol. Though I do dare you to try," he challenged her.

She stomped on his foot, causing them to lurch unsteadily. He seemed undeterred. A short moment later and their bodies were whirling again to the resonant sound of vibrating strings joined by a rich woodwind melody. He dipped her into a low bow before pulling her even closer.

Step, slide, step.

"Aren't you a charming little thing? Yuuki sure has a peculiar taste in friends," Aido noted. "My deepest apologies, but I never asked you your name. You may call me Hanabusa, though your classmates seem to prefer Idol."

Step, slide –

She halted mid-twirl and violently grabbed his hand, pushing his nails into the soft skin of her palm. Time seemed to stop for the vampires in the room as the ruby liquid seeped out of several small cuts on Aya's palm. Aido gasped and staggered away from her. The rest of the night class stood immobile, their eyes shifting from their natural color to crimson. The oblivious day students around them continued chattering and dancing.

A powerful force shoved her away from Aido, halfway across the room and into the wall. She cried out, clutching her side as she heard a sharp popping noise that she knew was the result of a cracked rib.

The day students collectively screamed in sheer terror, unaware of what exactly they were witnessing.

Kaname stood before Aya, his face contorting into a menacing scowl.

Zero and the Chairman were suddenly by her side. Zero was about to raise his Bloody Rose gun, but the Chairman stopped him.

"Get her out of here and wait with her in my office," the Chairman whispered to Zero. He quickly loosened his tie and secured it around Aya's palm before helping her up and gently steering her toward Zero.

"I'm sorry this misunderstanding gave you all given such a fright. It is getting late, so the night students must unfortunately retire. We enjoyed socializing with the day class and look forward to the next event," Aya could hear Kaname announce to the room as Zero dragged her outside.

"Just who the hell are you? And what exactly were you trying to pull in there? Do you have a death wish or something?" Zero demanded. He walked briskly, clutching her wrist.

"You can let me go, I don't have anywhere to run," Aya protested. His grip only tightened. "You're hurting me!" she cried. She struggled to keep up with him in her four inch heels.

"You didn't answer my questions," Zero snarled.

"I don't have to answer to you!" she yelled. "I hate this terrible school. I hate being here, knowing that they are just on the other side of campus! Humans and vampires can't coexist peacefully! Anyone that can't recognize that is a fool. I hoped by doing something rash, I might get kicked out this place."

"Who are you, damnit? Day school students aren't supposed to know anything about vampires," he snapped.

Her violet eyes narrowed into thin slits. "You're a day school student, and you are a vampire!" she replied angrily. "This school is so hypocritical! What the hell was the Chairman thinking, putting me in your care?"

Zero stopped abruptly and his mouth opened wide in shock. He was truly flabbergasted. Yuuki, Kaname, the Chairman and his former sensei Yagari Toga were the only ones that knew his secret.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Aya hissed, writhing in his sturdy grip. She pulled her arm up and before they both knew it his nails dug into her forearm, leaving behind several thin cuts. His breathing sped up as he watched the blood ooze down her arm. He froze. Aya used that chance to jerk her arm out of his hold.

Zero's entire body tensed and his red eyes glared at her threateningly. His self-control was withering away by the second. He stood motionless, listening to her quickened pulse. The rhythm of her pulsating blood was driving him insane. She took a few steps back as if the distance would save her. Zero revealed his sharp fangs. They gleamed in the darkness of the night. Aya stumbled back in fear. She knew she couldn't run from him.

* * *

**A/N: I didn't plan to update again already, but my brain exploded and all of these words came out.**

**Sorry if the lack of citrusy sweetness was disappointing. I kind of decided I wanted to have…wait, what's that thing called again? Oh yeah, a PLOT! Which will hopefully make future lemons that much sweeter. **

**I had a lot of fun writing Chapter 2 though, so I hope it's an enjoyable read! Also hope it wasn't too silly hehe.**

**Let me know what you think :)**


	3. Tender Mercy

**From Ashes to Dust  
****Chapter 3: Tender Mercy**

* * *

Aya retreated further until her back was pressed against the cold stone wall of the dormitory. The way she saw it, she had two options. She could try to run, or she could try to fight him. She knew she wouldn't succeed at either.

Zero laughed darkly at the space she put between them. "Can't you see that's not going to help? I'm a monster. I can't restrain these pathetic urges that control me. You should go. Now." His body was violently trembling, and he took a few long strides toward her against his will.

Aya's eyes darted wildly around her, looking for an escape. The cobblestone path lay to her right, and tall evergreens lined the entrance to the forest on her left. She could try to hide amongst the trees, but she doubted she could outrun him and outwit his vampire senses. She resigned her gaze to the vampire who was closing in on her. He now stood only a few feet away. She looked into his eyes, filled with lust for the sweet crimson liquid flowing through her veins, and with revulsion that he couldn't stop his want. She read the indignant pain plastered across his face. He was disgusted with it, all of it. He was disgusted at what he had become, disgusted at what he had to do to sustain himself, and disgusted that he couldn't stop himself from hurting innocent people.

"Do it," she commanded suddenly. "Take my blood. I won't try to stop you."

Aya's exclamation surprised even her. What the bleeding hell? She wasn't entirely sure why she offered herself to this boy she didn't even know, but the look in his eyes made her feel sorry for him. Though she didn't know him, she could tell the normally aloof teenager was vulnerable and weak, and hated himself for it.

His hungry eyes briefly flashed back to their usual amethyst in shock. He completely stopped in his tracks.

"…what?" he gaped, at a loss for more words.

"Do it before I change my mind!" she insisted and crossed her arms tightly, maybe from the cold wind whipping at her, maybe from her fear and uncertainty at what was to come.

"Get out of my sight," Zero hissed, his voice husky and rough. "I don't even know your name. There's no way I'm drinking your blood. I don't need your charity."

"My name is Aya," she said, almost defensively. "I'm familiar with bloodlust. In a minute, you won't have a choice. You'll sink your fangs into the next creature you see. You should take my offer while it still stands." She walked even closer to him, his face just inches away from hers.

His bottom lip quavered. He didn't want to do this, but he didn't want to turn away either. His strong hands gripped her shoulders, aggressively steering her into a secluded corner. His ruby eyes gleamed through the darkness that enveloped them.

"A moment ago you wanted nothing to do with me," Zero spat, his hands still seizing her shoulders. He extended an elegant finger to move a few stray locks of auburn hair behind her shoulder, completely exposing the length of her pale neck to him. His words were harsh, but his actions were gentle.

"That has nothing to do with my choice," Aya said firmly.

She stared at his gorgeous, tortured face in wonder, trying to read his muddled emotions. He was an asshole, and a soul sucking one at that, but she couldn't deny his exquisite beauty. She blushed as his eyes met hers. She was nervous but confident in her decision.

She wasn't moving to escape him and was still staring at him expectantly for reasons unknown to him. His trembling lips descended upon her neck and his hot breath tickled her skin, causing her to shudder.

This was different than with Yuuki. This girl wasn't his sister. He had no idea who the hell she was to him, but he did know he needed blood badly, and the breathtaking but infuriating girl in front of him was offering him hers. He knew he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. But he would really be a moron to deny her.

Zero's skilled tongue darted out of his mouth, caressing her neck from just beneath her chin to her clavicle and back again. Not knowing what to do with her hands, she grabbed his hips, accidentally pulling him closer. This really pushed Zero past the edge. He allowed his fangs to graze her goose-prickled skin for a moment before slowly piercing her flesh, driving his fangs deeper little by little to ease the hurt.

He sucked greedily at first, as if no amount of her delicious blood could quench his thirst. The taste was absolutely ambrosial, sugary sweet and succulent at the same time.

Aya bit her bottom lip hard, willing herself not to cry out in pain. Her eyes widened as his hips pushed against hers even harder. She felt his arousal against her thigh and let out a low moan, unable to control herself. Her eyes shut tightly as she focused on the desperate sound of his swallows and his every touch. His hands were unconsciously tracing her sides from her shoulders to the curve of her hips. And she wasn't stopping him. Her hands pulled him closer to her, one resting in his hair and twirling a silver lock absently.

His sucking slowed now, and he savored every mouthful of her blood. She let out a lengthy sigh as she grew accustomed to the new sensation. It was no longer painful, almost pleasant, and definitely sensual. She had expected a monster to ravage her, but instead this tender creature was treating her with utmost care. She was utterly perplexed about all of it, but she didn't have too much time to contemplate anything.

"Zero! What the hell do you think you're doing!?" a familiar male voice bellowed.

Zero gagged on the saccharine liquid, messily releasing his fangs from her flesh and spewing blood down the front of her borrowed dress. They were too mortified to notice.

They turned to see Yuuki and the Chairman sprinting toward them, both screaming angrily.

"Oh shit," Aya breathed. "This is not the kind of trouble I wanted to get myself into."

Zero knew he was in a colossal predicament, but he almost smiled until he noticed her bloodied dress. He swiftly removed his uniform jacket and placed it on her shoulders. She was too dumbfounded to move, so he eased her arms through the sleeves and did the buttons.

The Chairman was huffing when he reached them. He glared at the pair, seething. Zero couldn't recall ever seeing him this angry. Yuuki stood behind him, confusion and betrayal flickering in her eyes.

The Chairman grabbed Zero's collar with one hand and Aya's arm with the other, yanking them toward his residence.

"Chairman, I can explain! It's not what you –" Aya started.

"My study. Now," the Chairman interrupted, shoving them before him. "Yuuki, please retire to the dormitory for the night."

Back at the office, Zero and Aya sat in silence on the couch facing the Chairman's desk. It was not a companionable silence, rather peculiar and awkward in more ways than one. They refused to even look at each other. The seconds dragged on agonizingly until the Chairman finally burst through the door. His eyes narrowed into thin slits as he regarded the pair on the couch.

"I'm glad to see your bloodlust has subsided, Zero," the Chairman said sarcastically. "I didn't know you two were so familiar."

"We're not!" Aya blurted out.

The Chairman eyed Zero. "Your actions would suggest otherwise. What the hell were you thinking, Zero? I trusted you completely! I appointed you as a Prefect, and I allowed you to stay in the day class against Kaname's wishes. Is it too much to ask to have you accompany an attractive female student without accosting her?"

Zero reddened at the last statement. "You misunderstand," Zero insisted. "That is not what happened."

Aya cringed at Zero's discomfort. "I was willing. I offered my blood to him," she explained in attempt to ease the tension.

The Chairman studied her incredulously. "It is beyond me that you would do something so foolish. But you, Zero, should have had the control and decency to resist."

Zero's anger was mounting. "I've been trying!" he exclaimed, the frustration evident in his voice. "You know I can't take blood tablets, and I can barely control my craving anymore! What else would you have me do?"

"You said it yourself! You can barely control the bloodlust. What if you had taken too much?" the Chairman demanded.

"That really was not a concern," Aya interjected quietly.

"You so much as lay a finger on her again, Zero, and you will rue the day I brought you into my home. The same applies to Yuuki," the Chairman threatened.

Zero's mouth gaped widely in shock. "You know about…?" his voice trailed off into silence.

"Of course I know!" the Chairman thundered. I'm not oblivious to my children's activities, especially ones occurring in my own home! You two have grown so close the last few years, and I thought Yuuki knew what she was getting herself into. Now I'm not so sure, and I'm putting an end to all of it."

"You have no right to lecture me like this!" Zero snarled. "You are not, and will never be, my father! I hate what I've become. I was not about to refuse the blood of a willing donor."

Aya frowned at his interesting choice of words. Was that what she was to him? She bit her bottom lip, uncomfortable at the intimate moment she was witnessing and the fact that it concerned her.

The Chairman was undeterred by Zero's unsympathetic words. "Unfortunately for you, you live under my roof and must abide by my rules," he said calmly. "You will officially take a medical leave from Cross Academy for an undetermined amount of time. You are a threat to the safety of my precious students. I will be the judge that decides when you may return."

The Chairman saw their protesting expressions and continued before either of them could object. "And you," he grumbled, turning to Aya. "That stunt that you pulled at the ball is completely unacceptable. I accepted you at this academy fully aware of your knowledge of the night class, and I thought we had an understanding. You endangered the entire day class and almost outed the night students in the process."

"I hate to point this out, but I'm not your child either," she stated.

Zero grunted, choking back his laughter.

"No, you are most certainly not," the Chairman replied matter-of-factly. "But I do have the power to assign you two week's worth of detention. And you will not be permitted contact with the night class by any means. I do not want to hear of your presence at the class change. "

Aya sighed with relief. She supposed the punishment could have been a lot worse.

"Make no mistake," the Chairman continued, "You are enrolled in this school and will be attending at least until the end of the year. I don't care if I have to assign you a personal bodyguard or do the work myself. And I don't believe I have any choice but to inform your guardian about this incident."

It was Aya's turn to gape now. "No," she gasped. "Please, no."

Zero observed Aya and the Chairman, wondering what he was missing. He was certain the Chairman wasn't sharing something with him.

"I'll go to detention for the rest of the year! I'll do anything," Aya pleaded.

"Aya, enough," the Chairman said firmly. "That will be all. I will see you back to the girl's dormitory myself. Zero, our conversation will continue when I return."

Zero glanced at Aya before leaving the room. He had so many questions, and he knew they weren't going to be answered anytime soon. Aya watched him leave, wondering when she would next see him again.

* * *

Yuuki slumped on the bed, exhausted from the night's events. She loosened her hair from its bun and long, messy waves of brown cascaded down her back.

"What do you think that was all about?" Yori mused as she removed the makeup from her face. "I have no idea what I just saw, and I don't understand what Aido had to do with it. I'm pretty sure they just met at the ball. I hope he'll be okay…"

"Aido will be fine," Yuuki said. "If anything, he'll receive even more attention now, and he'll eat it all up. He can be annoying, but he definitely didn't deserve whatever that was." Yuuki understood the incident much better than Yori could ever know, and it frustrated her to no end that she couldn't breathe a word of it to her best friend.

Yori sighed. "I spent all night by her side, introducing her to day students and convincing her to dance with boys. I thought we were finally connecting! I wish I understood her."

"You really are too kind, Yori. Almost to a fault. I know there were special circumstances surrounding Aya's acceptance to Cross Academy, but the Chairman hasn't seen fit to tell me about them," Yuuki informed her.

"Very mysterious," Yori agreed. "Have you tried asking him about it?"

"No," Yuuki admitted, "but he'd probably just say it's –"

"None of your business?" a melodic voice with a hint of amusement interrupted.

"Aya!" Yori exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

Yori's eyes widened at the sight of the girl in the doorway. The fishtail braid Yori had perfectly pinned into place earlier that evening looked like more of a rattail now. Black makeup smudged beneath Aya's eyes and trailed down her cheeks. Yori couldn't help but gasp as she examined the gown she had lent Aya. The bottom of the dress was torn, tattered, and soiled. The top half was mostly covered by a day school boys jacket. Deep red splotches lined the side of Aya's neck and trailed beneath the jacket. Was that…blood?

"I'm so sorry about your dress," Aya mumbled. "I'll make it up to you, I promise. I hope you'll allow me to replace it."

"Don't worry about it," Yori said. "I'm just glad to see that you're okay. What happened? Did someone hurt you?"

Aya froze. She hadn't seen her reflection lately, and she just realized she probably looked like a lunatic. On top of that, she had no idea how she was going to explain her current state to Yori. She shared a brief look with Yuuki, who was staring crossly at her. She knew Yuuki was going to be of no help and quickly racked her brain for believable excuses.

"No, nothing like that!" Aya insisted. "I'm really very clumsy…I tripped on the pavement and damaged your dress and myself in the process."

"That must have been quite some fall," Yori remarked. "How did you end up with that jacket? Whose is it?"

"Oh, this? Hmm," Aya considered. "A kind day school student helped me up and let me borrow it, but I just realized I never got his name."

"What'd he look like?" Yori pressed.

"He had silvery hair and the most interesting lavender eyes…" Aya trailed off. Her mind wandered to his gentle caresses, the sensation of his fangs puncturing her skin, the feeling of his silky hair in her hands, and his growing arousal that tormented her thigh. She nearly blanched as the recalled the last bit. It was uncharacteristic of her to lower her emotional boundaries and allow another to become so close to her, to see her defenseless and vulnerable. She was already beginning to think the entire encounter was a mistake.

"That doesn't sound like something he would do, but I think you just described Zero. Don't you think, Yuuki?" Yori asked, calling Aya back to earth from her trance.

"Yes, I guess so," Yuuki said flatly. "I can return the jacket to him."

"Zero," Aya said softly. "No need, Yuuki. I'll do it myself. I really ought to thank him."

"It'd be much easier if I just did it," Yuuki retorted.

"Yuuki, please allow me. I insist," Aya said.

Yori glanced curiously from one girl to the next, unsure of what exactly was happening. It seemed to her like Aya and Yuuki were fighting over Zero. Yori knew Yuuki was close to Zero, but she had never taken a liking to him. Why two girls would be fighting over the unfriendly, insolent boy she had no idea.

"Well excuse me if I don't want you going near him after seeing your crazy actions at the ball!" Yuuki nearly shouted.

"Yuuki! Calm down," Yori demanded. "Aya, you don't have to talk about it right now if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay," Aya said. "I obviously need to clear the air." She took a moment to compose herself and sat at the foot of Yuuki's bed. She took a deep breath before turning to face her two roommates.

"I'm not very good at talking about this stuff," Aya began. "I'm sure you could tell, but I didn't want to attend Cross Academy at all. My mother sent me here to get me as far away from her as possible. It's better than being at home with her, but I resented being forced to come here without anyone asking for my opinion. I hurt Aido in hopes that I would get expelled. I realize that was so very stupid now. Not only was I not expelled, but I caused a scene and hurt someone who had nothing to do with my problem. He might be obnoxious, but he probably deserves an apology."

Yori and Yuuki sat quietly, taking in her words.

"I've accepted my place at this school and won't be causing any more trouble," Aya continued. "To be honest, I don't really have any friends, and I'm not even sure how to be one. I took to my nickname so fast because it felt like I might finally have friends. I just hope that you can both forgive me."

"Of course you're forgiven," Yori said immediately. "I just wish you would have told us sooner."

Yuuki simply nodded.

"For that I apologize as well," Aya said. "I clearly have a lot to learn."

"We can help you with that," Yori smiled. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. You can tell me all about your first impressions of the day and night school boys."

Yuuki rolled her eyes as her roommates started gossiping. She wasn't done talking to Aya, but that would have to wait until Yori was gone. She didn't want to cause any more trouble with Yori there.

She clenched the bed sheets tightly as her mind recalled the scene she had stumbled upon earlier with the Chairman. At first, she wasn't sure if Zero had attacked Aya or if Aya had been willing. But Zero's hands caressed Aya's body tenderly, inquisitively; his suckling was gentle but full of want. He had never been that way with Yuuki. With her, it was much more of a necessity.

Yuuki sat amongst her chattering roommates, wondering what the unknown feeling in the pit of her stomach was.

* * *

"If I page through one more book, my head might explode," Takuma wailed, closing the book in his hands and exchanging it with another from the towering pile beside him.

"I can help you with that if you wish," Kaname said grimly.

"N-no need!" Takuma quickly exclaimed. "You know I am happy to be of service. But we haven't found the slightest mention of a Suzuki clan, human or vampire, and we've been at this for hours…"

"Keep digging," Kaname said, not looking up from the book in his hands.

"What makes you so sure we'll find something?" Takuma asked.

Kaname paused. He set the massive book down gingerly on his desk and turned to face Takuma, who was sitting Indian-style on his chaise.

"I'm not certain we will," Kaname admitted, and Takuma bit back a groan. "Her appearance at this school isn't by chance. I'm almost positive I knew her in a previous life, but I can't place it. It's very unlike me."

"Well, you have been alive more than a number of years now," Takuma grinned.

Kaname fixed him with a stare that could have melted metal. Or exploded his head, for that matter. He was in no mood for Takuma's banter.

"That's not it," Kaname ruminated. "I'm afraid this goes much deeper. There seems to be a disconnect between my memories concerning my parents, the former monarchy in general and the Council. I'm not entirely sure if this is all related, but I'm beginning to suspect my memories have been tampered with."

"If that were the case, couldn't you compare your memories with those of other older vampires? And what about these historical books? They don't lie," Takuma stated.

"You are far too trusting, Takuma," Kaname said, shaking his head. "We have been at peace for some time, and our relationship with humans has only been improving. But our foes are almost too quiet, and I am growing weary. I can't help but wonder if the memory tampering was done on a grand scale."

Takuma considered that for a moment. He explored his own mind, combing through his knowledge of previous monarchies and the current Council. He didn't know much about Kaname's parents. They had passed away before he really knew Kaname. It was rumored that their deaths were a double suicide, or worse, that Kaname had murdered them in cold blood. Kaname insisted neither was the case, and Takuma hadn't pressed him about it any further.

Takuma hadn't been around nearly as long as Kaname, so he had nothing to add on the matter. He scanned pages upon pages and lines upon lines for any mention of the Suzuki name or anything odd concerning Kaname's parents. His head was swimming. He barely knew what he was looking for, and his willpower was wavering.

Kaname had returned his attention to the book in front of him. Takuma sighed and resigned his concentration to the thick volume in his hands. He wiped a thin layer of dust off of the next page as the musky stench of the ancient tome invaded his sense of smell. He attempted to interpret the rows of text, but words were making less and less sense to him.

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter down! This is all new to me, and frankly I'm just surprised I know this many words haha. Special thanks to those who faved, alerted, and reviewed my fic!**


	4. Willing Spirit, Weak Flesh

**From Ashes to Dust  
****Chapter 4: Willing Spirit, Weak Flesh**

* * *

Yori's curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself wandering campus alone the following night. Since day one at the academy Chairman Cross had pounded into their brains how dangerous it was to wander the school grounds at night. Yori never understood what was so life-threatening, but she had always followed the rules. Just this once, though, she defied the Chairman's orders to search for answers. If she ran into Yuuki and Zero on Prefect duty, she knew Yuuki would go easy on her anyway.

Yori didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but she was not entirely convinced by Aya's explanations during their heart to heart. And on top of that, Yuuki seemed utterly infuriated with their new roommate. Yuuki could be temperamental, but she always had a reason, and Yori wanted to know what it was.

She stayed clear of the main path for fear of running into the Prefect duo, or worse, the Chairman himself. The cool night air gently whipped her hair in its breeze as she glided silently through the trees just off the path. The Moon Dormitory was now in her sight. Yori was certain the night students would have some answers, and she hoped to run into some of them between their classes. Part of her wanted to see Aido and make sure he was okay after Aya's attack. A small part of her. A microscopic, almost nonexistent, very confused part of her.

Yori froze suddenly when she heard what sounded like a beast devouring its prey a short distance away from her. Her breath hitched in her throat and she took shelter behind the large trunk of the nearest tree. What she was hiding from, she had no idea.

The noises didn't seem to get any closer after a moment, so she peered around the tree trunk in attempt to get a better view. She saw nothing but the blackness of the night. She crawled onto her knees, inching closer to the bizarre sounds. Yori heard frantic gulps paired with pained moans. She wondered if it was a wolf, or some even more terrifying creature she didn't want to imagine right now. Common sense would have told her to run, but there was no turning back now. Yori ignored her dirty hands and knees and parted a bush slightly to finally gain a view of the monster.

Her eyes widened almost painfully, taking in the scene before her. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't look away. Was she in some kind of sick, twisted dream? She really hoped so.

Before her stood Aido and Kain tangled in a weird embrace. Aido's head was pressed against the crook of Kain's neck, and Yori wondered if Aido wasn't as straight as she thought he was. To her horror, Aido finally released Kain's flesh. She stared at twin puncture marks on Kain's neck. Aido wasn't trying to give him a hickey. He had bit Kain, hard. Hard enough to draw the blood that Kain swiftly wiped off of his neck with a handkerchief before it had a chance to tarnish his pristine night school uniform. Yori was even more bewildered by the fact that Kain hadn't tried to fight Aido, but allowed the injury. What the hell –

"Christ, what is wrong with you, Aido?" Kain gasped. He clutched Aido's arm to steady himself.

"I don't know," Aido wheezed, his ragged breathing slowly returning to normal. "But the blood tablets don't seem to work lately. I have no idea what's going on."

Kain let go of him, finally regaining his balance. " They work fine for me," he said, gazing at Aido suspiciously. "I did this because I could only imagine the trouble you'd get yourself into if I didn't."

"Thank you, Akatsuki, thank you. I'll try to control myself, I promise. I owe you big time," Aido said gratefully. Yori spied two sharp fangs glazed in blood protruding from Aido's mouth. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief because a moment later, they were gone.

"I won't forget," Kain stated. He stiffened, eyeing his surroundings. "We probably shouldn't have done this outside. Someone could have –"

But Aido waved him off. "What's the worst that could happen? We're practically in the middle of the forest. The rest of the night students are bound to find out anyway. They'll smell it. And if we run into any sneaky day students, I'll have my way with them. Especially if they are pretty girls." Aido licked the blood off of his smiling lips.

"…just kidding," he muttered in response to Kain's indignant frown. "All we'd have to do is bring them to Kaname and have our fearless leader erase their memories."

"Well, we need to be more careful next time. If there is a next time," Kain corrected himself. "Because I really hope there won't be. Anyway, I'm going to head to class. You should probably clean up first. I'll see you soon." Kain tossed his handkerchief at Aido before turning on his heels and starting toward the school grounds.

Yori was frozen in her hiding place. She couldn't will her body to move, and she didn't dare question what she just saw. It didn't make any sense. Vampires didn't exist. Right?

She watched Aido clean the blood off of his face with the handkerchief. He pocketed it and headed straight in her direction.

She panicked. What was he doing? The Moon Dormitory was the other way. She rolled out of the bush and flung her body backwards. She bit back a scream as her spine painfully collided with a tree trunk.

All of a sudden her body was yanked into the air by her shirt collar. Two electric blue eyes glared up at her. She tried to claw him with her hands and kick him with her feet, but it was no good. His arms were too long, and her body was out of his reach.

"Just what the hell are you doing here? And what exactly did you hear?" Aido spat.

Yori tried to respond, but her collar was strangling her. Aido released her just as her face was beginning to purple, and she fell to the ground with a loud thud.

When she still didn't answer him, he seized her neck and shoved her into the nearest tree trunk. Bark crackled behind her and fell to the ground in tiny pieces. His face was dangerously close to hers. She could smell his copper-tinged breath.

"I said –"

"I-I didn't mean to!" Yori choked.

Aido let go of her neck and took a step back, watching her. She was shaking violently, trying to recover from her coughing fit.

"You're scared of me, aren't you?" he asked slowly. "What is it you think I am?"

"Don't you dare erase my memories," Yori snapped after she had regained a little composure. "I'm going to –"

"There's Yuuki's sassy friend I know and love. You're going to what?" Aido drawled boredly. "This is the truth about the night class. Yuuki knows it, Zero knows it, even the Chairman knows it. And the rest of the day class wouldn't believe you anyway. Now come on." He grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward the Moon Dormitory. "It looks like we need to pay a visit to Kaname."

"No!" Yori exclaimed, halting in her tracks. "I have a name. It's Yori. And if I scream any louder, Yuuki and Zero will be here in a second. I'll deny everything. I'll say you came after me."

What Yori didn't know was that Zero was on medical leave, and Yuuki was spending her Prefect watch trying to figure out where exactly he was. Luckily, Aido didn't know that either.

Aido snarled viciously and bared his gleaming fangs. "I could drink you like a juice box before you could even do such a thing."

"But you won't," Yori said firmly, pulling her wrist out of his grip.

Aido looked at her, an amused expression on his face. "You're right," he said. "I'm not usually as ferocious as I seem. But don't tell anyone that. You know, what the hell. I'll let you keep your damn memories. But make no mistake, tell anyone about this and you'll forget more than just this night."

Yori was gaping at his unexpected change of heart. A second ago he looked like he wanted to tear her throat out, but now he was talking to her as if nothing had happened.

"What are you looking at me like that for? I'm allowed to change my mind. Besides, no one lets me have any fun anymore. Now let's go," he said, turning in the opposite direction.

"…where are we going?" she asked after a moment.

"I'm walking you back to your dorm. It's dangerous here at night, have they told you?" Aido grinned.

Yori ran to catch up to him, her mind nearly exploding with all the questions she had for him.

"Why are you allowed to be here? Aren't you dangerous? How can –"

Aido stopped completely, placing a finger against her lips. She trembled at the sudden touch.

"No," he said. "No questions. I'll tell you what I want, when I want. And I won't be telling you anything more tonight."

Yori almost pouted but thought better of it. They continued toward the dormitory, still avoiding the main path.

"Hey, what were you doing here at this hour all by yourself, anyway?" Aido questioned her. "I would expect this from one of my many admirers, but not from a smart girl like you."

A faint blush crept into the apples of her cheeks, and she was really hoping he couldn't see it through the darkness of the night.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter now," she said dryly.

"C'mon," he insisted, nudging her side with his elbow.

She looked at him, completely bewildered. What, were they friends now?

"I wanted answers," she explained. "There's something strange about Aya, and Yuuki can't stand to be in the same room with her for some reason. I thought the night class might know something about it."

Aido frowned, examining his hand. "I don't concern myself with day school drama, but there does seem to be something strange about Aya. She baffles even Kaname, so I can't help you there. Well, here we are," he said as they approached the entrance to the Sun Dormitory.

Yori just stared at him. A vampire had just walked her back to her dorm. A. Freaking. Vampire. A vampire that had been getting awfully chummy with her, no less.

"Well, you should probably go inside before you catch a cold," Aido said as he bent down to kiss her hand. "I'll be seeing you around." He winked before vanishing into thin air.

Yori slumped against the dormitory wall, cradling her head in her hands.

Yuuki had been hiding this from her since school started, maybe even before that, and she never had the faintest clue. The more Yori thought about it, the more it made sense. The vampires only went to school during the night. The day students were barely allowed contact with them. Yuuki and Zero, the only two students who knew the truth, managed the class changes.

Yori imagined the faces of each of the night students in turn, finally settling on Kaname. He must be their leader of sorts. Yori almost laughed. Yuuki loved Kaname. So Yuuki loved a vampire, and even more, she knew he was a vampire. Yuuki was nuts. She should know better than that.

Yori visibly shook her head as her mind wandered back to the blond-haired vampire that just accompanied her back to her dorm. Was she scared of him? She wasn't sure. She had no idea what she thought about Aido, but she was certain she would be seeing him again soon.

* * *

"Father dearest," Yuuki slurred sweetly, looking at the Chairman with wide eyes.

"Yes, Yuuki?" he asked, totally disinterested, and not looking up from his desk. His pen continued scratching away rapidly on a piece of paper.

Yuuki pouted. The Chairman slash her father clearly wasn't falling for her ploy.

"Won't you please tell me where Zero is? I want to see him. I'm worried about him," she begged.

"Zero is fine, Yuuki," the Chairman retorted. "You know how much it means to me when you call me daddy. I'm disappointed you're resorting to this."

"I'm sorry," she said genuinely. "I believe you, I just want to see him for myself. Besides, he might want someone to talk to." That, and she wanted to bite his ear off for drinking Aya's blood in the manner that he did.

"Knowing Zero, he most certainly does not want to talk to anyone at this moment," the Chairman said dismissively. "I'm sorry, Yuuki."

Her lips curled into a thin frown. She knew she wouldn't get anywhere with the Chairman. He genuinely thought he was helping Zero by isolating him from the rest of the students, and he wouldn't allow Yuuki to see him if he really thought she would interfere with that.

She allowed her feet to carry her out of the Chairman's study and home, leaving him to his work.

Yuuki sighed and drank in the crisp autumn air. She had far too much on her mind at the moment, and she did not want to return to her dorm and talk to either of her roommates. She wanted complete silence. As she wandered the less traveled paths of Cross Academy, she tried not to think about her last encounter with Kaname at the ball and the fact that she might be a little jealous that Zero drank Aya's blood.

Before she knew it, she had left the school grounds and found herself in the middle of town. This was as good a way as any to clear her head, though she usually never came to town alone. She explored fancy gift shops, tried on a few outfits in a boutique, and thought about stopping by her favorite café for an ice cream sundae. It just didn't feel right without Zero there telling her she really ought to be fat considering how many sundaes she had just eaten.

It was almost dusk and Yuuki was about to head home when she saw a familiar flash of silver dart down an adjacent alley.

"Zero?" she called uncertainly, stepping toward the entrance to the alley. It just had to be Zero. She had never seen another with his unique shade of hair.

Yuuki groped the brick wall as she continued down the dark alleyway.

"Zero?" she called again, but it came out more like a whisper.

The darkness had fully descended now, and Yuuki could barely see a thing. She made out the outline of an abandoned building in front of her. The door was wide open. If Zero was in there, she wasn't going to find out. She turned around, shaking from the cold and fear.

Her shrill scream echoed down the alley when she came face to face with two pairs of luminous ruby eyes. She stumbled backward, toppling onto the ground and scraping her elbows. A moment later Yuuki was on her feet again, running toward the abandoned building. She heard maniacal laughter and the sound of ragged breathing only a few feet behind her. They were gaining on her, and she wasn't going to make it inside the building.

A tall figure dashed out in front of her, and two strong arms secured her. The figure placed himself protectively between her and the rabid Level Es. She couldn't see them, but she heard two tortured howls and a soft "pop" followed by what could only be a rain of blood. Tears welled up in her eyes as she fought to free herself from the grip of the stranger that had just saved her.

She glimpsed the two mounds of dust behind him before looking up into the eyes of her savior. Yuuki dreamed about those eyes. They were not the eyes of a stranger.

"Kaname," she sobbed, allowing her body the collapse into his. She burrowed her head into his chest and he held her tightly, stroking her hair.

"I'm here, Yuuki," he said softly. "You're safe now. Please don't cry."

She held onto him desperately, never wanting to let him go. But the tears streaming down her cheeks eventually subsided, and she pulled back to look at his face. He kissed her forehead before wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"What were you doing out here by yourself, Yuuki?" he asked sternly. "This is not a safe place for you to be at night, especially alone. I can't bear to think of what could have happened to you had I not been here to save you."

Yuuki tried to pull away from him after hearing the austere tone of his voice, but he only embraced her tighter. She mumbled something unintelligible into his shirt.

"What was that, Yuuki?" he asked.

"I-I thought I saw someone," she gulped loudly, followed by a cute little hiccup that caused Kaname's lips to curl upward slightly.

"Who did you think you saw in this deserted part of town?" Kaname continued to question her, but his usual melodious voice had returned.

Yuuki was silent.

"What's on your mind? You can tell me anything," he coaxed gently.

She was hesitant to mention the name of the vampire Kaname barely tolerated, and only tolerated, for her.

"It's Zero," she finally admitted. "I thought I saw Zero. I've been looking for him everywhere since the Chairman took him away. I need to talk to him."

"If something is troubling you, you can tell me," he persisted, but she shook her head much to his dismay. His somber eyes longed for her to tell him everything, but she had always closed off a piece of herself to him where Zero was concerned. Sometimes he wanted to rip that part of her heart out and crush it in his hand.

"It's, um…a personal matter," she gulped nervously. "About Zero."

"I see," Kaname stated. He extended his arm to her. Yuuki hooked her arm around his and felt her cheeks heat up as the two of them finally left the dreary alley and started back for the town center. They strolled leisurely, enjoying the quiet of the night and each other's company.

Lampposts sparsely lit the vacant path. Every now and then they passed a couple walking hand in hand or canoodling on a park bench. Yuuki's blush continued to deepen the longer they walked. She couldn't help it. Seriously, what was this? The hour of love?

Kaname didn't need to look at her to feel her increasing warmth. He smiled to himself.

"Shall we talk over a sundae? I know how much you love the café around the corner, and I realize I have been absent lately," he said.

Yuuki smiled widely. "I would love nothing more, but most shops tend to keep reasonable hours. It's already past ten," she lamented.

"I do keep unusual hours, it's true, as you so often remind me," Kaname pondered aloud.

"N-no!" Yuuki exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I –"

"Don't fret, I meant nothing of it," Kaname interrupted. "I just desired to make you happy is all."

Yuuki felt like her heart was going to combust and she nuzzled closer to him, her head resting against his arm. Her sweet gesture caused him to tense briefly.

"Please promise me you'll try to stay out of dangerous situations that result in me saving you," Kaname teased. "While I do so enjoy being your knight in shining armor, I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you."

"That does happen far too often," Yuuki said dejectedly. "I was careless. It won't happen again."

"Good," Kaname replied. "In return, I will take you to see Zero-kun so you can discuss your personal matter."

"Kaname-senpai!" she cried happily, her arms squeezing him in a surprise hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She released him and bowed enthusiastically.

"You're welcome, Yuuki," he responded. "I would do anything for you. We will go tomorrow. For now, you should get some rest."

She blinked, realizing they had arrived at the Sun Dormitory some time ago.

"Thank you, Kaname-senpai," she whispered.

"Good night, my Yuuki," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. She accidentally tilted her head and their lips brushed together lightly, causing her to squeak and him to chuckle.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I look forward to it." Kaname's eyes twinkled and he swiftly turned around, leaving for his own dorm.

Yuuki melted. She felt like a puddle of goo oozing all over the ground.

* * *

Later that night, Ruka paced in her room. Of course she remembered she told Kaname she would allow him time to think about their relationship, or lack thereof, but she was absolutely restless since their last morning together. She couldn't stop thinking about his desperate touch; the way he lost all semblance of control at the scent of her blood, the way he chaotically shoved the contents of his desk on the floor to make room for her, the way he took her for the first time on his bed with abandon…

Ruka, snap out of it, she thought. But it was already too late. She had left the comfort of her room and was walking down the hall toward his. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she needed to see him.

Ruka gasped loudly. She had been walking to Kaname's room like she was on a mission, but that mission came to a screeching halt when an unknown force gripped her forearm. She whipped around, Akatsuki's disapproving face only inches away from hers.

"Akatsuki!" she exclaimed, recoiling a few feet. "I didn't see you there! You nearly scared me to death!"

"I can see that," he stated. "I tried to call out to you, but your mind is clearly elsewhere."

She only bit her lip.

"Where are you going at this hour?" he demanded.

"That's none of your business, Kain," she sneered. "No 'Hi, how are you, Ruka?' No 'How was your day, Ruka?' How dare you stand there and demand anything of me!"

"You're too good for this, Ruka," Akatsuki said, remaining calm. He quickly glanced at Kaname's room. Kaname's door was open, and he could probably hear their entire exchange, but Akatsuki didn't care.

"Too good for our Pureblood leader? Do you even know what you're saying? If he could hear you right now –"

"He probably can, but that doesn't matter to me," Akatsuki interrupted her. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Why do you even care?" Ruka retorted. "And why do I keep running into you like this? Stop following me. Kaname can do whatever he pleases to me. If it is his will that I get hurt, so be it." She stormed away without another word.

Akatsuki sighed, folding his arms on the banister.

He could be so infuriating! Who did he think he was, telling her that Kaname didn't deserve her?

Ruka suddenly found herself in Kaname's doorway, unsure of her next move.

He was standing near his window, which was now in pristine condition, with an unusually content expression on his face. His hands held a rather large and dusty book and were flipping through its pages randomly, but his mind seemed to pay it little attention. He was deep in thought. He gazed out the open window, listening to the distant sound of a violin.

"Not now, Ruka," he said abruptly, sensing her presence. His expression immediately soured. "I have many other things on my mind. I apologize, but I cannot deal with you at the moment."

Deal with her? The last time she had seen him he was so at ease, playful even. It was a rare sight to see that emotion in the Pureblood. Ruka was certain she had finally gotten through to him, sexually and emotionally, but now he apparently had to "deal with her"?

She wanted to scream. She wanted to punch something. But she did neither. She didn't know why she even tried. Actually, she did. She saw it as her duty to please Kaname in any way possible. At least, that's what she told herself.

Ruka stalked back to her room and past Akatsuki again without another word. She heard faint footsteps behind her.

"Go away! I want to be alone!" she shrieked without looking back.

She tried to slam the door shut behind her but couldn't. Two burnt orange eyes stared at her through the crack of the door.

"Too bad," Kain said, pushing all of his weight against the other side of the door. "Let me in."

"No!" Ruka bellowed. "Get out of here!"

He finally overpowered her and the door flung open. He hurried over to her and pulled her into a firm embrace.

"No! Let me go!" Ruka cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. She pounded her fists against his chest with all the power she had, and he wasn't trying to stop her. She hit him fiercely again and again.

Her wails and her fists settled down, and she finally allowed herself to collapse into him. He carried her over to the bed and she curled up in his arms. He brushed her long hair out of her face and admired her beautiful but heartbroken features. Akatsuki cradled her in his arms silently, and he would stay there as long as he was needed.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to Bella-swan11, kiki8o, and myra k kuran for the reviews! Nice to know there are people reading and maybe even enjoying my story.**

**So, wow! Another chapter already. I just moved and don't have a job currently, so it just kind of happened.**

**Also, I'm starting to wonder if I change point of view too frequently… Let me know if there are any specific characters you would like to hear more about! And if there are others you don't care for. I enjoy writing about all of our favorite characters, I just hope it doesn't seem too random. I will also be trying to write longer scenes in general, keeping it to maybe two or three a chapter.**

**Thanks for sticking with me and seeya next time :)**


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